This is my second year running the National Marathon. I enjoyed it last year, but this year was so much better (I even PR'd!). The course was reversed from last year and the one big hill was taken out. The first half still had some hills, the biggest one at mile 6, but they were manageable. The rest of the course just had some rollers. The first 2 miles were beautiful, with views of the sun coming up over the capitol building among the cherry blossoms. The section along the river (miles 19-23) was quite scenic as well. The weather in DC this time of year is great for running. Spectators were pretty scarce the second half of the race and there was virtually no entertainment on the course if you need that type of thing. The Metro was extremely convenient to get to and from the race.

The organization overall seemed more polished this year. Port-O-Potties were much more plentiful along the course and they actually had starting corrals, which was good since you start with the half-marathoners. My only complaints were fairly small. There was a big lack of parking at the expo. We were told parking lots were supposed to be open, but with all the roads blocked off, there was no way to get to them. I also didn't like that every water stop had a different flavor of Gatorade - I had red, lemon-lime, grape, and blue; please just stick with one flavor next year. Also the sign for mile 26 was severely misplaced. It was the longest 0.2 miles of my entire life! The food at the end was just OK - salty soft pretzels and beer were good, but some cookies would have been nice.

Overall, a fast course and a great spring marathon!

Now that I've run 2 marathons, I have some qualification to comment. I really enjoyed this run, and took over 30 minutes off of my 1st marathon in Dec.

Weather was excellent, except no indoor waiting area out of the cold before the race, but after the sun came up, no issue. They should open the armory in case of inclement weather, and I prefer indoor, pre-race plumbing.

Running through the streets of DC is an inspiring experience. Peak cherry blossoms add to it. There's enough real estate that I didn't see the need to repeat Constitution Ave. Water stops were regularly spaced and organized. Smallish (compared to Dallas) but good fan support, mostly in the neighborhoods. The announcer bringing you across the finish line did a good job. They could have had more food at the post-race, but as long as they save a few beers for me, I'm good.

Expo seemed small for a city like DC. Nice medal.

All in all, great race!

For my 5th marathon, I chose this one - and I don't regret it. I saw parts of Washington that I would not have seen on any sightseeing trip. The volunteers and organization were top-notch, but as a previous commenter noted, the expo was quite sad and the shirt left something to be desired. I personally hate "finisher" on my shirt. I think it is redundant. If you like medals, this one was not gaudy or outlandish but very nice, and there was plenty of free beer as well.

For those of us who don't run Sundays, this is a great Saturday marathon. The course was manageable with slight inclines and declines. The finisher's medal includes all the details of the race (date, place, etc.) Your bib has your last name printed on it; that was a nice touch. It's well timed with the cherry blossom festival. I was happy with the sponsor hotel (Renaissance Marriott). It's a race I plan to do again!

I ran the half last year and this year, so I cannot comment on the second half of the course. But, comparing 2007 to 2008, wow, this race just keeps getting better. I know that my few minor complaints about last year were taken care of this year. Not sure how much is due to the new sponsor (SunTrust) or not....

Metro opened early and this was well publicized, so you didn't have to drive in if you didn't want to worry about finding the RFK lots.

The shirts are nice, technical, short-sleeve Reebok brand, with different colors for the full and the half. The medals feature the logo and your distance (not like last year's, which was one big WIREFLY announcement). There was plenty of food and drink at the finish and not much of a crowd - I just walked up and got what I wanted, with no lines!

Plenty of enthusiastic spectators and city residents out cheering. If you are complaining about lack of support this year, you really would have been upset last year because I would say the number of people out there supporting the race more than doubled.

The course does a good job of showcasing the city (good and bad) and has some rolling hills. We really lucked out with the weather; this year we had a cool, sunny day with the cherry blossoms in bloom. Refreshment stations were well supplied and abundant. There were a lot more porta-potties this year, and in general more pre-race festivities.

The race is growing. I hope they will stick to the qualifying times (which are modest) and keep this one on the smaller side; for a three-ring circus, wait for the fall, and do Marine Corps. For a fun, challenging run through the city, do National!

I have participated in the National Marathon/Half Marathon event over the last 3 years (2 marathons, and half-marathon) and I have to say - each year the entire organization has gotten better, and better. The National Marathon/Half Marathon running event is destined to be one of the best in the United States. I personally prefer the National over the Marine Corps (MC); however, the MC is still a good organization. Washington D.C. has two of the best marathons in the U.S. For those who have not run a marathon in Washington, D.C., well you have 2 good ones to participate in - one in the spring (National); the other in the fall (MC). The course for this year's National Marathon, in my opinion, was terrific; for the number of runners the expo was the right size, and I see this growing as the number of runners increases in the coming years; for the spectators that came out to cheer the runners on, it was greatly appreciated; and last, by not least, the scenery was great. It's also nice to have a mayor that participates in these events. The Race Director, Mr. Rick Dowling, and his staff, deserve a huge congratulations for all the good, and hard work they put in in making this event a huge success. I will keep coming back, and have already made the National Marathon one of my favorites to run in.

This is a great alternative to the Marine Corps Marathon. Now everyone should run one MCM but one is about enough. National Marathon had lots of arm room, lots of spirit, GREAT volunteers, and not enough can be said for HOWARD UNIVERSITY! I wanted to take them the whole 26.2 with me. The only thing better was the Michelob Ultra at the end. BUT... did they measure that 0.2 miles at the end correctly?

The expo left something to be desired, but I was VERY satisfied with the moisture wicking shirt and ease of packet pick up.

The course offered great views of the city- certainly the best way to 'see' our Nation's capital. The course was mostly flat and the few uphill portions had immediate downhills to match. The weather was great this year and I loved seeing the trademark DC cherry blossoms and tulips!

The number of participants is perfect: no bottlenecks, yet constant runner camaraderie. The good number of elite athletes and "celebrity" runners (Dan Jansen, Mayor Fenty) made it an exciting event to be a part of!

Volunteers were enthusiastic, and there were amazing spectators; if it were up to me, the Howard University crew would win the "best spirit" award. They were CrUnK!!!

Well-organized finisher's area and good-looking medal (well, minus the Sun Trust logo all over the ribbon... yeah, we get it that you are the title sponsor!!).

Overall a very well organized race. The event was all within the confines of DC and takes the runner through many neighborhoods - some more scenic than others. The first half of the race is slighly hilly with the second half mostly flat. The first half was a nice course in spite of the hills. The 2nd half of the marathon lacked the scenery once you crossed the Anacostia. Still a very nice race, well staffed and well run. The only negative comment was the food at the end. Something more filling and hearty than bagels and granola bars would be nice.

EXTREMELY well-organized. Getting the Metro to open early was FANTASTIC - made getting to/from the race easy. It also very easy for family/friends to see you several times along the course.

OVERALL, great course, and EXCELLENT volunteers and runner support from start to finish in terms of water, Gu, bathrooms, etc. In terms of the course itself, the first 2/3 was interesting and had good crowd support - especially at Howard University. THANKS! Last 1/3 was weak on crowd support and the last several miles were a bit desolate when you probably need the most support.
Great time of year - cool weather and cherry blossoms... and it allows for training over fall/winter.

Two cons that would be easily be remedied: (1) Female sizes - I would love to wear a finisher t-shirt that fits; (2) Expo - pretty underwhelming. I hope it will get better as the event grows.